Colin Kaepernick compares NFL Combine process to slave auctions

While promoting his new memoir, ‘The Perilous Fight’, former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick has drawn criticism for comparing aspects of the NFL Combine to slave auctions. Kaepernick argued that the process of prospects being photographed, measured, and scrutinized in compression shorts carries parallels to historical slave-auction blocks.

Kaepernick further criticized the nature of team interviews, suggesting that players face pressure to answer personal or inappropriate questions regarding their sexuality or political views to avoid being labeled as difficult or rebellious. He noted that the scrutiny extends beyond physical performance to include judgments on a player's willingness to comply with league standards.